Celebrate the West; Alberta's Cowboy Trail follows the past and embraces the present

It's not just a place -- it's a feeling. The Cowboy Trail extends along the eastern slopes of the Rockies, bumping up against mountains and rolling out to forests, grasslands and (south of Calgary) the Porcupine Hills. From fur trading routes to ranches, and from historic oilfields to lines of wind turbines spinning gracefully in the wind, this landscape traces Alberta's economic history better than any other. This is also a place where the pace slows down, where the welcome is warm and where you'll never lack for things to see and do. The Cowboy Trail goes south to Cardston, but don't forget it extends north, too, all the way to Mayerthorpe. We've included attractions in both directions.

Stay

* Go for the barn dance, stay for the family atmosphere: Located near Waterton Lakes National Park, the Great Canadian Barn Dance (greatcanadianbarndance.com) offers country dinners and dances, special events all summer -- including an appearance by country singer George Canyon on July 26 -- plus cottage rentals, a B&B and serviced campground.

* For a wide variety of country, western and farm vacations, spend some time on the Alberta Country Vacations Association website at albertacountryvacation.com.

* Near Nordegg, Aurum Lodge (aurumlodge.com) sets high environmental standards in a stunning setting -- it's a member of the Charming Inns of Alberta.

* If you're into camping, some of the best sunsets in the province can be found at Crimson Lake Provincial Park (gateway.cd.gov.ab.ca), near Rocky Mountain House.

Play

* Live the life of a cowboy or hike with a wildflower specialist at Lucasia Ranch (guestranches.com/ lucasia) near Claresholm.

* Get up close to the glaciers without the hike, with Icefield Helicopter Tours (icefieldhelicoptertours.com), based at the Cline River near Rocky Mountain House.

* The home base for Homeplace Ranch (homeplaceranch.com) is just west of Calgary, near Priddis, but the MaKenny family takes you all over on a variety of horseback trips -- or you can stay at the ranch, and ride, fish, learn cowboy cooking and more.

Eat

* In Blairmore (in the Crowsnest Pass, a worthwhile side trip off the Cowboy Trail for mine tours and the Frank Slide Interpretive Centre), the Stone's Throw Cafe (stonesthrowcafe.ca) offers great breakfasts and lunches.

* Heavenly scents will tempt you into the Black Diamond Bakery & Coffee Shop in Black Diamond (thecowboytrail.com/bdbakery.html), where scrumptious breakfasts and lunches can be had -- or just buy the bread to stock your picnic basket.

* Run, don't walk, to Mackay's Cochrane Ice Cream (mackaysicecream.com) in Cochrane. This place is an institution on the Cowboy Trail -- it's been making ice cream since 1948, and the experience shows in the flavour.

See

* Go back more than 200 years, to the time of the fur trade and explorer David Thompson, at Rocky Mountain House National Historic Site (pc.gc.ca). The site, including a model play fort, tells the stories of the traders, explorers and aboriginal peoples who lived and traded here.

* Ninety minutes south of Calgary, the Bar U Ranch National Historic Site

(pc.gc.ca) was once one of Alberta's most famous ranches -- home to cowboys, artists and royalty alike. Today it's living history, with horse-drawn wagons, campfires and more.

* Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump (head-smashed-in.com), near Fort Macleod, offers insight into the life and legends of the Blackfoot peoples, particularly their style of hunting buffalo using "jump" sites or cliffs. Teepee camping is available in summer.

* The scope of the horse-drawn vehicle collection at the Remington Carriage Museum (remingtoncarriagemuseum.com) is breathtaking -- more than 250 carriages, wagons and sleighs can be seen at the museum in Cardston.

Chill

* For a warm-hearted and practical guidebook for the armchair or the glovebox, pick up The Cowboy Trail: A Guide to Alberta's Historic Cowboy Country, by D. Larraine Andrews (Heritage House Publishing, $19.95).

* Immediately west of Pincher Creek, Unique Art Antique (uniqueartantique.com) is on September Springs Ranch, where you'll find art, antiques, fashion, a cafe/tea room and lots of space to enjoy nature -- right now, the irises are blooming.

If YouGo

* The Cowboy Trail extends 700 kilometres from Mayerthorpe in the north to Cardston in the south, using Highways 5, 6 and 22. Calgary is approximately halfway, making your one-tank wonder an easy jaunt either north or south.

* Don't forget that attractions within Calgary -- including the Glenbow Museum, Fort Calgary and Heritage Park Historical Village -- provide excellent context for the rest of your journey (tourismcalgary.com).

* For more ideas and inspiration, visit The Cowboy Trail Tourism Association at thecowboytrail.com.

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Celebrate the West; Alberta's Cowboy Trail follows the past and embraces the present

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By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.